Patina & Hue: Conversations for women interested in 40 plus style

Patina & Hue is a blog for women interested in conversations about 40 plus style. We feature articles on developing your own personal style, interesting art and artists, design that we love and also feature amazing and inspirational women.

At Patina & Hue we love to have conversations with amazing women who have great style and inspire us all. For this reason I am excited to feature our latest artist–designer— Melissa Skarsten—a longtime friend and talented jewelry designer who mixes metals and infuses expressions of natural elements into her work. A couple of months ago I stopped by Melissa's studio to see her latest jewelry and discovered she was making 100 new one-of-a-kind pieces for the upcoming Park City Arts Festival. Melissa is both prolific in her work and dedicated to uninterrupted time in her studio so I was delighted to see what she was planning for the arts festival to share with all of you. Scroll down to see some of her fabulous pieces and to read more:

Men's River cufflinks in a handmade wooden box with silver twig | Available at the Gala Auction Event Thursday, July 30th. Click here to learn more about the Opening night gala Fundraiser / Fashion Show at the Montage, Deer Valley.

Q: Melissa, I know from our conversations that you derive a great deal of creative inspiration from being outdoors. How does that directly inform your work?A; "The natural world is always pulling at me…. to slow down, to step outside and experience the “mystery within nature”—my work celebrates what I experience in those moments. To be more specific, old-growth forests fascinate me. As I was developing my distinct visual voice, memories from an extraordinary visit to a coastal redwood forest kept appearing, inspiring the textures and color palettes I began using. More important, it was the emotions I felt when standing in that primeval forest I started to capture in different pieces, and an organic elegance and sense of antiquity showed up in my work."

"...it was the emotions I felt when standing in that primeval forest I started to capture in different pieces, and an organic elegance and sense of antiquity showed up in my work."

Q: It must take a great deal of time to create one-of-a-kind pieces. What can you tell us about that process:A: "Pieces can take days or even weeks. My work is done in a spontaneous manner, an idea may be scribbled out as a starting point, but materials and techniques guide the work into a finished piece. This evolutionary process keeps my creative thoughts flowing."

"To propagate this evolution of a design, I make one-of-kind pieces, each piece inspiring the next. Serial imagery or what I like to call the “kaleidoscope effect” is where I take a piece and redesign it…. and like the turn of the kaleidoscope, the variations are endless. By making one-of-a-kind pieces, I emulate nature and promote our individuality as humans, which I find a breath of fresh air in a world of mass produced, identical products."

"The ancient technique of granulation is perfect for creating organic texture. For my river series, I use a torch to fuse tiny grains of gold and raised lines of silver onto the metal surface of the piece. I then expand the technique by flowing melted gold in and around the applied textures. To achieve the rich color palette, I oxidize the piece a deep black to illuminate the gold. For my botanical pieces, the gemstones and the metal finishes I choose, allow me to express the dance of movement that light, mist and breeze create in the forest."

Q: When did you start making jewelry?A: "I was drawn to artistic mediums that were very hands-on and fell in love, almost immediately, with metal-smithing while in high school. I later went to on study at The Revere Academy in San Francisco where I became a traditionally trained goldsmith and for a brief time I worked as a bench jeweler. The lure of creating a life in which I was a working artist led me out of the commercial marketplace to open my own studio in 2007. The arts and crafts marketplace is a perfect fit for the type of creative work I do and fits with my lifestyle."

Q: I've noticed that some women feel if they are wearing one color of gold, or other metal such as silver that they are hesitant to mix it up with their jewelry or metallic accents on their shoes and handbags. Your work has a lovely intermingling of different types and colors of metals. What would you say to someone who might be concerned about wearing their rose gold along side of their silver or white gold? A: "Yes, I love combining different colors of metals into my work and I do know that years ago it was considered chic to keep your metals all the same color. But time has changed that concept—now women, and men alike can layer on different metals into one look and feel confident about doing so....I would say have fun with your jewelry, toss the old rules out as anything goes these days!"

Melissa was raised in Pasadena California, moved to Santa Barbara, then San Francisco, before landing in the mountain town of Park City, Utah with her husband and daughter. You can see more of her work on her website by clicking here or at the upcoming Park City Arts Festival, July 31-August 2, 2015.

As you probably know by now we love discovering and sharing artists and designers who leave us wanting to know more about their work. Whether you are an avid art collector or an admirer of art we believe that Ruth's work is unique, smart and engaging so much so that you will remember it long after you see it. When viewing it up close you first notice the surface texture and beautiful form; if you pick up some of the smaller pieces you notice the weight of it in your hands. Upon closer inspection you see links woven together to create a chain mail that is rigid as well as movable. Ruth writes:

"Worn under Medieval armor, chain mail is made of tiny interlocking metal ringsdesigned to protect a body in motion. I use the chain mail pattern and other woven patterns to create ceramic works that conjure up a sense of permanence and defensive concealment. Like the ancient armor, my pieces are made of a fabric of moveable interlocking rings. Using clay to make a protective mesh is contradictory;for how can it defend anything, much less itself? Visually stone-like, the piecesappear strong and impenetrable, belying their inherent fragility."

There is also a sophisticated sense of humor in many of her pieces. In the chain mail sculpture [above] Set Back Skyscraper, 2008, the block leans forward, bends back and twists to the side. This piece is named after set back laws in Manhattan in which buildings are required to be 2-3 stories tall in the front while the taller floors of the building are set away from the sidewalk, behind the entrances, to allow sunlight to fall into the street. We love how the piece begs to be manipulated and moved and almost takes on a soft and flexible quality while remaining rigid.

"When I am showing my work in a gallery setting people often assumethat the work should not be touched. I want people to engage with it—thatinteraction is part of the experiential aspect of the work"

Portrait, 2007 // Wall work in which The three top rings are fixed while the the lower two are movable

Ruth teaches at Fairleigh Dickinson University and The Art School at Old Church, both in NJ.She has an undergraduate degree at Rutgers University in math. Artist in residence programs:Hunter College, NYCAnderson Ranch, COGreenwich House Pottery, NYCWatershed Center for Ceramic Arts, MEChester Spring Studio, PAUniversity of the Arts, PA.

To contact the artist directly with inquires click hereFor more information and to see a larger selection of her work visit: Ruth Borgenicht

Several years ago I had the pleasure of attending a production in the Paris Opera House. Sadly, I cannot remember the name of the opera I saw that evening but I was struck by the luminescent, and ethereal paper sculptures that were perched on either end of the large scale counters in the lobby. It just so happened that over the next few days I would see the unique sculptures again in shop windows and in a gallery in downtown Paris. They were so lovely that I had to know more.

About Papier à êtresThe award-winning artist team Sophie Mouton-Perrat and Frédéric Guibrunet have worked with paper for over a decade—each in their own way. They met in 2007 and by 2008 they were collaborating on "common creations, lighting sculptures, diaphanous and light."

Sophie attended art school and began working with paper by folding it and creating in paper mâché. Frédéric graduated with a degree in chemistry and is self-taught in paper-making. He has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and the United States to find the best techniques. He works only in white.

To create the Mademoiselle series (see photos above) Frédéric develops the lower part while Sophie shapes the top, figurative part. It is a true collaboration of talent and skill.

"He structured the paper, she poetized it.She exhibited in Paris, he in Toronto,they met to Brouage.And there was born the union of two beings of paper.

Since their works were outdone (Toronto, Paris ...) and seduced :the gallery of the Opera of Paris, Charmey, TAAJ, Fleuxthe Museum of the decorative arts of Paris,the gallery Talents, Van Cleef & Arpels ...

Their works are long-lasting, realized with attentionand respect for the pleasure of their buyers."

Question: What is more interesting: a unique artist made handbag or a big-name brand bag? P&H answer: Tesler + Mendelovich

Yes, it is easy to fall in love with a handbag made from Italian leather like Gucci's latest leather and bamboo backpack, or a chic Chanel or Bottega bag.... but it is even more amazing when you fall in love with an artist made handbag. In addition it isn't the most expensive handbags (or jewelry, or shoes...you get the idea) that consistently draw attention from friends. It is 99% of the time something that is well designed, unique and often not well known that leads friends to ask "where did you get THAT?". M and I both share a love of artist driven design and fell head-over-heels for these T + M clutches several years ago. They are high design and a splurge we highly support! If you do not currently own a wood clutch this is the one to get.

WHO?Tesler + Mendelovich are a Televivian couple who met in school and work as a textile team—developing materials that they transform into products. There clutches can be seen online and come in a few sizes with a wide variety of wood options. The largest one "Great" is very large so make sure you look on their site under "Reviews" to see the scale of a few of the "Great" pieces. Each clutch is sent in a sustainable handmade wooden box for storage (see image below).

See a short vimeo on this dynamic artist couple here. Visit their site to see their complete line here. Each clutch is made upon order with a 6-8 week turnaround time. Orli let me know that they ship all over the globe through FedEx. Delivery takes between 24-48 hours once shipped.

"...once the clutch has been picked up by courier we send the client a FedEx tracking link as well as a digital lifetime warranty and care guide which is a digital PDF booklet (sent by email) that contains information about their chosen wood, a care guide and also has the clients personalized catalog number for future reference."

If you end up ordering please let us know what you think in our comments section. Also-wooden handbags/clutches have gained in popularity over the last few years. If you know of an artist who is making unique, high design bags please let us know.

“Nature has infinite variation and beauty. With such a vast resource, inspiration is unlimited”. ~Martha Fieber

Brightly Colored Birch: Van Winkle Lake

Redbud in Bloom

Forget Me Not Field

Birch Against Orange

Dusting

Detail View of Dusting

At first glance you may mistake one of Martha Fieber's landscapes as a traditional painting. Upon a closer look you will see lines, dashes and knots created by layers of delicate thread. It is a delightful discovery to look close and then again—even more closely to see the small stitches that go into these remarkable landscapes that range from 3" x 5" up to 8" x 24". There is both a precision and a freedom in the quality of the stitches that leaves one wondering if perhaps these embroidered landscapes were created in much the same way a painting would be executed—starting with an overall plan that slowly evolves into something greater—layer after layer, stitch after stitch.

Martha writes about her work:"My art is about texture, technique, pattern, and detail. Each work includes layers and layers of stitching to create shading and depth. I have been working with fiber since I was old enough to handle a needle. In 1999, I gave up engineering for art. It has been a joy to create original embroideries and work with fiber for my second career."

"I use all kinds of threads, fibers, and colors to create depth and texture in my work. Single strand silk, rayon, metallic, and/or hand dyed cotton threads, on linen and silk backgrounds comprise most of my current work."

Forest Grove

In the piece above, Forest Grove, Fieber offers up a dynamic landscape from a birds eye view. We look down at a grove of trees, with foreshortened trunks; tiny knots referencing spring blossoms quietly hover over the haphazard ground below with its criss-crossed, imperfect stitches, creating movement that surrounds the seeming stillness of the pink, yellow and green knots above. It is the juxtaposition of the perfect against the imperfect that is so interesting— each stitch behind and below the trees looks as if it were quickly rendered; drawn not sewn.

Fieber taught herself to embroider and weave. She dyes the fibers used in her work with plants she finds locally. For more information on Martha Fieber's work please visit her websitehere. Additionally, Fieber's work is on exhibit at the Katie Gingrass Gallery in Milwaukee, WI. through February 28, 2015.

Etsy is a treasure trove of unique handmade items, antiques and rare collectibles as well as artist made products by exceptional small studios. As we are big believers in supporting small artist/design studios we decided it was a good idea to curate our favorite Etsy stores for your last minute holiday shopping. Yes, very last minute...so some of these ideas may have to be birthday presents in the future!If you do not currently have an Etsy account it is simple to set up and will just take a few minutes. Because we both love to discover items that are well designed and unique we have put together this short list that features gift-ables foralmost everyone on your holiday shopping list!

I had the pleasure of meeting the Depetra sisters, Cynthia and Lorena, a few months ago while visiting their studio in Houston. I am almost as enamored with their studio as I am with their jewelry. The creative energy in their workspace and showroom was captivating; you can feel the creativity in the room. Pairing crystals, natural stones, hammered metal, twine, beads and leather they create one-of-a-kind pieces that are unique and modern while also feeling ancient and regal. They are constantly creating and innovating—rarely producing the same piece twice. If you see a piece above or on their FB page that is no longer available on their website, you can email them and ask if they will make it for you.

I have promised myself, and P, that I would interview the Depetra sisters for Patina & Hue sometime in the near future as they are incredibly inspirational. For now, I wanted to share their beautiful jewelry with you and am happy to announce they are offering 10% off to all of you reading this post now through January 2nd! Visit their online shop to find something you love (I found it impossible to choose just one!) then at checkout use the code: depetraph to receive the Patina & Hue exclusive discount!

Thank you Cynthia and Lorena, we love what you do.

conversation:

Pamela:M, Thank you for introducing me to these designers. I am in love with the wrap leather bracelets with geodes and beads on leather. They have taken the wrap bracelet to the next level.

Marianne:P, Indeed! The earrings are absolutely stunning and irresistible and I'm excited about the 10% off!

Pamela:M, me too, I can think of one or two items that are going on my holiday wish list!

I cannot remember the exact moment when I was first introduced to the work of Wayne Thiebaud but I can say that I fell in love with his work at a young age. Growing up in California, I saw his prints and reproductions and responded, like so many, to his use of color, composition and light.

Years later as a young designer and artist I would attend gallery openings to see his originals and have remained enamored with his work ever since. To stand in front of his work in a gallery or museum adds hugely to the experience and is invaluable to understand this important artist.

In graduate school I attended a class titled "Fear of Painting" taught by NY based artist George Woodman. As I was indeed terrified of painting—I had earned my seat in that class. One day he inquired, whether or not any of us had ever seen the Mona Lisa. We all raised our hands thinking "of course we've seen her!"— only to discover what he was really getting at: "have you visited the Louvre and stood in front of that iconic painting and actually viewed the original". I mention this story because I feel the same way about Wayne Thiebaud's work — if you can pull it off, you owe it to yourself to see his work in person. When standing in front of his paintings you are able to appreciate the texture and mark-making with thick paint [often compared to icing on his paintings of confections] as well as respond to his color palette and the overall feel of the work. Although he is sometimes referred to as being a part of the Pop Art Movement, Thiebaud works from life rather than from cultural/media images. He is well known for his perfect desserts, landscapes and portraits. I find myself drawn in not only by the overarching subject matter of his work but also by the intensity of color that lives in the shadows of a Thiebaud eclair, figure or building or in the simple mark of an implied horizon line that stands behind rows of pies and shoes or moves forward to imply the edge of a table.

49 of his works are currently on exhibition now through November 21, 2014 at Acquavella Galleries in New York. The show titled "Wayne Thiebaud:A Retrospective" includes works that have not been shown to the public before.

Additionally you can see his work on 1st Dibs, a favorite hot spot for rare antique and vintage finds. They are currently featuring drawings, paintings, prints and multiples of his work.

A few years ago, when a FedEx truck failed to deliver boxes needed to set up a trade show booth, I wasted no time, ran out of the Javitz center in NYC and grabbed the first taxi I could find to take me directly to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I knew the Alexander McQueen exhibit had recently opened to rave reviews but I also believed I would not be able to attend due to my heavy work schedule that week. So when I found myself a few moments later, in a taxi heading toward the MET, I was almost giddy in disbelief! I had been following his work since the late 1990s and knew he was a cutting edge designer with designs women dream about. You can see the progression of his work on the Alexander McQueen website by selecting the dates of previous collections.

The exhibit was life changing for me. This may sound dramatic but seriously I had always kept a division in my mind between art and fashion. I understood that one could influence the other but up until that exhibit I saw the two as separate disciplines with one being content rich while the other was an object of adornment. The exhibit turned out to be an intersection of strong conceptual thinking, art history, fashion, brilliant use of materials and subsequently my appreciation and love affair began. I wish everyone could have seen this exhibit! There was an exhibition publication that is worth every penny of the now $29. price tag. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty is a must have for all lovers of art and design.

Marianne:P, sure wish I had attended that exhibit with you. Alexander McQueen has been one of my all time favorite designers because of how he took unprecedented risks with his over the top dramatic flair.

Pamela:M, so true, he wasn't afraid to experiment with ideas within culture and history. Did you see the Spring/Summer line from 1999? This was the first year I became aware of his work. A model came out at the end of the show in a white dress and was spray painted by robots. You can still see the video which is amazing! McQueen 1999 Spring/Summer Fashion Show Finale.

Marianne,P, how could one forget the robots taunting the model! I also remember in 1997 the Union Jack coat he created for David Bowie's album cover "Earthling". We all wanted that coat, he was a genius.

Pamela,M, he just might go down in history as the brilliant, bad boy of fashion!

Robert Siegel HandmadeA few years ago I had the pleasure of working with Robert Siegel and flew out to LA to meet with him at his LA studio. The beauty of his work is unquestionable and is backed up by quality materials and care that he infuses into each handmade piece. I've collected pottery for several decades and feel that his work transcends the medium. The glazes and details have a modern sensibility while the hand-thrown porcelain has the weighted feel of a finely made object. I also like the fact that all the pieces have a non-toxic glaze and are bisque fired. I've added several RS Handmade vases, pitchers and bowls to my collection and use them daily. The pitchers are always on the counter awaiting water for the table or a new bouquet from the farmers market.

Robert is prolific and his work is always evolving. He is both designer and master craftsman. I love logging onto his facebook page to see what new design ideas he is working on. I felt compelled to include several of his collections above to show the range of his work. I can imagine any of these collections in my own dining room and the only problem is making a decision on which set!

Robert Siegel GIVEAWAY!The beautiful colbalt and sky blue milk vase set [ below ] could be YOURS! All you have to do is LIKE Patina and Hue on facebook and follow us on Bloglovin then LIKE Robert Siegel Handmade on facebook! Lastly, email me with your full name and type in the subject line: RS handmade drawing and send to patinaandhueblog@gmail.com to let us know you have completed those tasks! Your name will then be entered into a drawing to win! The drawing will close at 9pm MST August 15th, 2014. And will be announced on our blog the following week. The winner will be notified by email. Tell your friends and Good luck!!

conversation:

Pamela:M,I would love to add this set of milk vases to my collection, but you and I cannot enter this!

Marianne:P,I'm happy we are have this drawing! Someone is going to LOVE this set in their home! The elegant color palette and the glazes are gorgeous! I've been wanting one of Roberts pieces ever since you first introduced me to his work and my birthday is right around the corner, as ya know. hint, hint ;)

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All images on this site are taken by Pamela or Marianne, unless otherwise noted. We’re happy for you to share images, but please make sure to link back to the original post and give credit. Also, should we feature an image of yours that happens to be mis-credited or would like to be taken down, please let us know and we’ll take care of it right away!